Christchurch/West Melton Zone

See the map of the Christchurch West Melton Zone the nutrient management rules that apply relate to the nutrient allocation zone colours. For more information on your colour see the expanding items below.

Christchurch/West Melton Zone. Click on map to download pdf version.

Rules that change when PC5 becomes operative

Current

Future

Under the Operative Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) rules are:

Under the proposed Plan Change 5 rules (PC5) will be:

Consent required:

if the farm is leaching greater than 20 kgN/ha/yr

Consent required:

if the farm has greater than 50ha irrigation

and/or

the area of winter grazing* is:

Greater than 10ha, for any property less than 100ha in area

Greater than 10% of the area, for any property between 100ha and 1000ha

Greater than 100ha, for any property greater than 1000ha

A Farm Environmental Plan

A Farm Environmental Plan

A Nitrogen Baseline(average loss between 2009-13)

Operate at or below you N Baseline

No Increase above Nitrogen Baseline

N Baseline is required to be run through the “Farm Portal” and you are required to achieve the “Baseline GMP loss rate” by 2020

Red Nutrient Allocation Zone

If you are farming in a red nutrient allocation zone, you are not allowed to increase the nitrogen loss from the property above your nitrogen baseline calculated with Overseer.

You are required to have a nitrogen baseline calculated for the property.

If your nitrogen loss is 20kg N/ha/year or greater, from the 1 January 2017 you are required to have a farming activity resource consent, nitrogen loss calculation and a farm environment plan.

Notes

If your property is part of an irrigation scheme with a discharge consent for nutrient losses, you may not require an individual farming activity resource consent. Check with your irrigation scheme.

If you are within the Selwyn Te Waihora catchment you need to refer to the Selwyn Te Waihora Plan Change (PC1) rules.

If you are within the Kaikoura, Waimakariri or Christchurch/West Melton catchments, refer to the Land and water Regional Plan rules.

Unless already consented, no individual property can increase average nitrogen loss above their nitrogen baseline (what the property was losing from 2009-2013).

There is an option for groups of properties to work together to average nitrogen loss across multiple properties. These are called Farming Enterprises (a group of properties managed together). This will require all properties to operate under one farming enterprise resource consent. Ensure your ownership model or legal structure of any enterprise group understand the responsibility and potential liability that may be associated to this consenting option. Contact Environment Canterbury if you require more information on Farming Enterprises.

Green or Light Blue Nutrient Allocation Zone

If you are farming in a green or light blue nutrient allocation zone you are allowed to increase the nitrogen loss from the property by up to 5 kg N/ha/ above your nitrogen baseline calculated with Overseer. (This is an absolute total increase of 5 kg N/ha/year loss from your nitrogen baseline loss NOT a compounding increase of 5 kg N/ha/year each year above your nitrogen baseline). Any increase above this will require a farming activity resource consent.

You are required to have a nitrogen baseline calculated for the property.

Note: If your property is part of an irrigation scheme with a discharge consent for nutrient losses, you may not require an individual farming activity resource consent. Check with your irrigation scheme.

The table below is a guide to the rules based on your farm size and nitrogen loss.

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Under Canterbury's Land & Water Regional Plan all farmers will need to operate at good management practice and most will need to prepare a farm environment plan then obtain a new resource consent. Find specific details for your catchment area here.